Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are an increasing problem for hospitals and medical clinics, and the healthcare industry is desperately seeking an effective solution for their prevention and control. HAIs are caused by pathogens that are transmitted through, for example, person-to-person contact and the shedding of skin scales. Existing methods of pathogen control involving hygiene are labour-intensive, difficult to monitor, and provide limited prevention and effectiveness.
Methods currently available for whole-room decontamination, such as UV-light, ozone and formaldehyde/ethylenoxide/hydrogen peroxide fumigation, cannot be used in the presence of people due to their toxicity. Therefore the area requiring decontamination must be sealed off and uninhabited during the process. Furthermore, these methods can have significant operator requirements for their application. Given the problems of MRSA and other HAIs, and the vast resources already committed to try to prevent and control them—without notable success—it is apposite to confront the challenge with a new approach.
WO 2007/012875 A1 describes a technique for inactivating various pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria. It involves exposing the pathogenic bacteria to visible light, preferably having a wavelength in the range of 400-500 nm, without using a photosensitiser. The bacteria that can be inactivated include Staphylococcus, in particular MRSA, Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus (CONS), Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Clostridium species. By using light in the visible-wavelength region there is no detrimental effect on human or animal health, so that the method can be used in indoor environments for air disinfection, as well as for contact-surface and materials disinfection.